Sign



, F. E. KIP

Nov. 24, 1936.

SIGN

Filed Aug. 31, 1934 INVENTOR, Fagan/ E. /F

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGN Frederic E. Kip,Montclair, r1.1. Application August' 31, 1934, Serial iNo. 742,344

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in signs and particularly toilluminated or luminous signs.

Y 'I'he principal general object of the present in- 5 vention is toprovide means for forming letters,

numerals or other flguresof a plurality of lndividual parts or sectionseach provided with light reflecting elements, whereby when the lettersor numerals are built up or formed, the same will be visible by day, andwhen a beam of light is projected on the sign, the reflectors ln theiralined or assembled relation will be illuminated to exhibit the lettersor numerals in the dark.

Another object of the invention is to effect clear 1,-, formation of theilluminated letters or numerals by so arranging the reflectors on thesections as to provide for alinement of the reflectors along verticaland horizontal or other intersecting lines, when the sections areassembled.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, I haveshown the invention applied to one form of sign of the interchangeablesectional letter type, wherein the sections of which the letters ornumbers are formed are provided with means to detachably hold them inplace in assembled relation.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sign of the type abovementioned showing my invention applied thereto;

\ Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the sections.

of the numerals or letters shown in Fig. 1 showing a modification of myinvention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2 showing further modificationsof my invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 showing another modicatlon.A 40 In Fig. 1 the numeral Sidesignates the sides of the frame, and onwhich the sign stands. I have shown two similar frames hinged together"at their tops in known manner, so that the sign is provided with twoopposite faces. This, however, 45 is not essential to the invention.Between the sides 6 are a plurality of transverse equally spaced rods 1and channel members 8, which latter receive the upper and lower ends ofU-shaped plates 8. The rods 1 extend through the sides of the plates 9,and the sides of the plates are slightly spaced to provide slots IDtherebetween. Above and below the channel members 8 and between thesides 6 there may be provided panels I I to receive advertising indiciaor the like.

u The letters are formed from a plurality of sec-v tions or elementsdesignated generally by the numeral I2, each being U-shaped and providedat predetermined points on its sides I3 with bayonet slots I4 to engagethe rods 1 when 'the sides I3 are inserted through the slots III, as 5shown in Fig. 1. These sections may be of any l desired 'color tocontrast with the background, y and I have illustrated them as being redby the lining thereon in Fig. l. In building up the letters or numerals,one starts 'with the lowermost 10 sections and lbuilds upwardly byinserting the sides I3 through the slots I0 and engaging the bayonetslots I4 With the rods 1.

The above construction of lsign is purely illustrative, as I may use anyconstruction of detach- '15 able, interchangeable sectional letter signsin practicing `my invention.

My invention resides inthe provision of re*-` flecting or illuminatingelements mounted in the front or face of the elements I2. I have shown asingle substantially circular reflector or prism I5 of appreciable sizemountedy centrally in vthe front of each of the sections I2 forming thenumeral I6. Each reector may be secured in place by stamping out of thewall. prongs or channels I6' to receive the inner ends of thereflectors, and of course-if desired, the refiectors may be cemented tothe prongs or channels I6'.f` In the form of the invention shown inFigs. 1 and 5 where a reflector or prism of ap` 30 preciable size ismounted substantially centrally in each of the sections I2, thereflectors or prisms,. when the letters or numerals are formed byassembling the sections I2, are alined horizontally and vertically inthe parts of the various letters or numerals. For instance, it will benoticed that the topmost'and the three lowermost reflectors in thenumeral I are in horizontal alinement. while the intermediate reflectorsare in vertical alinement with one of the topmost and one of the 40 ilowermost reflectors, so that when a beam of light is projected on thereflectors, the numeral I will stand out illuminated against the base ofthe sign. The same is true of the numeral 6 forming part of I6, whereinthe reflectors are in both horizontal and vertical alinement. It shouldbe obvious without illustrating the various letters of the alphabet andall of the numerals I to 9, that the sections may be so arranged on thesign as to form various combinations oi numbers or letters o as desired.This is particularly valuable in con-I nection with signs at gasolinefilling stations, for instance, where the prices'change frequently, andwhere motorists driving along the road at u In Figs. 1 and 5, 20

into the station.

Also in Fig. 1 I have shown some of the sections I2 provided withsmaller reectors I'I arranged to permit the formation of fractions.These smaller reflectors may be inserted and secured in the face of thesections in the manner shown in Fig. or by any other suitable means.

It is not essential to the practice of the invention to providereflectors ofthe exact character and mounted in the exact positions ofthose shown in Fig. 1, because as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6,otherarrangements and shapes of reflectors may be made and provided.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that threerelatively smallreflectors I8 are shown mounted in the front of one of the sections I2and alined horizontally thereacross. This section of course would beused to form one of the horizontal parts of a letter or numeral, due tothe fact that the reectors are arranged transversely across the section.Obviously on other sections reflectors I8 could be alined in a verticalplane, so as to form a vertical part of a letter or numeral. Thisfeature is illusrated clearly in connection with the modification ofFigs. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 3 a rectangular relatively long reflector I9 is mountedtransversely across the front of one of the sections`I2 and may be heldin place in the same manner as the reflector of Figs. 1 and 5.

Under the modifications of Figs. 2-3, the numerals or letters would bebuilt up in the same manner explained in connection with theillustrationfFig. 1 selecting those sections which have the reflectorsarranged transversely thereacross to form horizontal parts of thenumerals or letters and those sections which have the reflectorsarranged longitudinally thereof to form vertical parts of the letters.

In Fig. 4 the reflector 20 is ofthe same length as the section I2',extending fromgtop to bottom thereof, and being set in a grooveorchannel 2| which also extends from top to bottom of the section andbeing stamped or otherwise forined -as a part of the section, when thesections are made of metal.-

In Fig. 6, the section I2 has the entire front depressed with a. portionthereof folded' down against the side I3 as. at 22, forming a recess ofthe same size as the reflector 23 which covers substantially the entireface of the section. Ob-

viously, a reflector 20 such as that shown in Fig. 4 could .be set inthe section I2 to extend substantially all the way thereacross, to forma substantia'lly solid or continuous luminous letter or numeral.

With reflectors arranged as shown and' described in connection withFigs. 2-4, it is neces- .color as that of the sections.

2,062,094 night will see the price illuminated before driving sary toselect particular sections in building up numerals or letters, whereasunder the arrangements of Figs. 1 and 6, all of the reflectors areadapted for use either as parts of the vertical or horizontal portionsof numerals or letters; and under the form of the invention shown inFig. 6 the luminous letter is solid with the unnoticeable exception ofthe slight spaces formed by the folds 22 between the horizontallyarranged sections.

Of course the sections, under the embodiment of the invention shown inFigs. 1-5 will be painted or colored to contrast with the backgroundonwhich they are mounted, and I prefer to have the reiectors formed ofsubstantially the same For instance, as mentioned above, ythe sectionsare illustrated as reflectors, or if the sections were yellow or orange,for instance, I would use reflectors of a corresponding color so thatthe appearance of the sign would be substantially uniform in daylight.However, the reflectors need not be glass prisms, so far as theinvention is concerned, and need not necessarily match thek color of thesections, as IV may use metal foil protected by a glass or othertransparent covering instead of glass prisms as reflectors. Under thearrangement shown in Fig. 6 the reflector may be of any color, sincethey forml the entire letter visible both in daylight and at night whena beam of light is projected thereon.

I also wish it to be understood that it is not material to the inventionhow the sections or elef ments forming the letters are attached to thesupporting surface or background ofthe sign, nor of whatV material theyare made, but only that the reflectors be provided'in such a manner asto permit formation of various numerals and/or letters and be properlyalined both in vertical and horizontal planes to clearly exhibit theletters or numerals bothV in daylight and by reflection in luminous format night.

A sign comprising a pluralityv of elements adapted to vbe assembled toform numerals or letters, a support'for said elements presentingafsubstantially solid background'means to hold said elements inassembled relation on said support and permitting said elements to beinterchanged and rearranged to form various numerals or letters, andlight reflectors on the fronts of said elements and arrangedso as to bealined in horizontal and vertical planesto form and exhibit theparticular letters or numerals formed by the elements when abeam oflight is projected onthe sign, said reflectors on some of the elementsbeing arranged transversely thereof and on otherelements being arrangedlongitudinally thereof.

FREDERIC E. KIP.

, being red; insuch case I would prefer to use red

